Improvement in printing-telegraphs



2 Sheets Sheet I. G. M. PH ELPS.

Frinting-Telegraphs. No, 144,285, Patented Nov.4,1873.

2Sheets--Sheet2. G. M. PH'ELPS.

Printing-Telegraphs. N0. 144,285. Patented Nov-4,1873.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE M. PHELPS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN PRlNTlNG-TELEGRAPHS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 144,285, dated November4, 1873 application filed April 8, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, GEORGE M. PHELPS, of Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented Improvement inPrinting-Telegraphs, of which the following is ficient to move thearmature and liberate the mechanism that prints, and then draws thepaper away from the typewheel.

By this device the printing is effected more reliably and rapidly thanby the direct action of an armature-lever, because the mechanism thateifects the printing is uniform in its action, instead of depending to acertain extent upon the power of the electric current acting in theelectro-magnet, as heretofore, and the pressurepad and paper are alsodrawn back from the type-wheel before the mechanism is stopped, so thatthe impression cannot be blurred by the movement of the type-wheel.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a side view of this printin g-telegraphinstrument complete, and Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.

The two spring-barrels a b are mounted in frames 0, and connected bysuitable clock-work or trains of gearing, one with the shaft d, uponwhich is the crank-pin and roller 6, and the other with the shafti ofthe type-wheel f. Upon the shaft 13 is an escapement-wheel, k, and thepallets l and armature m swing upon the pivots n, and allow the springand train of gearing to move the type-wheel around one letter orcharacter at a time. The magnets 0 p r are in the main line circuitconnected to the bindingscrews 3 and 4, and pulsations are sent over theline alternately of opposite polarity; hence the polarized armature onwill be moved first one way and then the other, and great rapidity ofmovement can be obtained in setting the type-wheel through the agency ofthe escapement-wheel and train of gearing; or in cases where the springa and train of gearing are dispensed with the pallets may be wedgeacting, so as to rotate the type-wheel. If the pallets and pallet-wheelare of the character to form what is known as a recoil-escapement thepallets may be moved by the pallet-wheel and gearing after the line isfree from electricity, and the type-wheel will be revolved by the trainof gearing until arrested by the unison-stop, in which condition it willremain until the instrument is again operated. By this means thedeadbeat escapement is dispensed with, the unison-stop arrests themovement of the clockwork, preventing the same running down and bringingall instruments in a line to unison on an open circuit, the clock-workaids the move ment of the armature, and greater speed is at tained withless battery power. The printingroller 3 is upon a lever, t, that has afulcrum at 6, and a slot, 7, for the crank-pin or crankpin and roller 0.Upon the shaft cl is an arm,

a, and o 'v are the swinging pallets actuated by the armature 0c of themagnet 1'.

parts form a letoff mechanism for the shaft (1 These and arm a. In thenormal position the arm a and shaft 61 are arrested in their revolutionby the pallet 22, and at this point the crank-pin e 'is in such aposition to the lever t that the impression-roller and strip of paperare away from the type-wheel; hence the same will revolve without inkingthe paper. Assoon as a pause occurs in the alternate pulsationstranspulsations can now be repeated to set the typewheel for the nextletter, and as soon as the magnet r is sufficiently demagnetized the armature 00 recedes, releasing the arm a from the pallets c, which armmakes about a halfrevolution, and stops again against the pallets c. Inthis movement the impression-roller is carried awaythe greatest distancefrom the type-wheel and brought slightly back, and the paper is fedalong by the pawl 8, giving the roller 8 a partial revolution. The stripof paper passes through a guide, 10, and beneath a yielding roller, 11,that presses it upon the roller 8. In consequence of the joint action ofmechanism and magnetism in effecting the printing, great rapidity andreliability are insured, and a comparatively weak electric current canbe em- 'ployed. The magnet r is made with the core 20, that projectslaterally as an arm, w, and the core is surrounded by a brass or othernonmagnetic metallic tube, w the object being to slightly detain themagnetism in the core, so that the magnet will not respond'as rapidly asit would if the helix were shorter or the ar' mature opposite the end ofthe core; and the brass tube 20 also aids to detain the magnetism; theobject being to prevent false printing when the transmitting-instrumentis operated slowly.

The magnet 1' might be placed above the clock-movement, in line with themagnets 0 and p. In this case the lever will be nearly straight, tobring the armature vertically into position.

If desired, the magnets 0 and 1) might have lateral branches from theircores to operate upon an armature connected with the pallets 'U '0, andthereby dispense entirely with the magnet r; and in case one magnet, 19,is used with an armature and retractile spring, then only one magnet maybe used, and the pulsations will not require to be of opposite polarity.

The type-wheels of all the instruments in one circuit may be broughtinto unison by continuing the alternate pulsations until the screw onthe type-wheel shaft, acting upon a tooth, l5, 011 a shaft, 16, hasbrought the stop 17 along into a position to arrest the pin 18, and stopthe further movement of the type-wheel until' a-pause occurs that allowsthe printing-lever to operate, and by the stud 19 lifts the tooth 15clear of the screw, so that a spring can return the parts to theirnormal positions.

It will be apparent that the action of the escapement-wheel, in allowingthe type-wheel to rotate until stopped at the unison-point, will be thesame, whether a spring, weight, or electric motor is applied to rotatethe type-wheel shaft.

The clock-movement, tending to turn the type-wheel, is only controlledby the escapement and electro-magnet when the instrument is inoperation; and when the electro-magnets are not energized the escapementmay vibrate by the action of the clock-work, and if unrestrained theclock-work would run down when not in use; but by combining with thisinstrument a unison mechanism, then such unison ture and electro-magnetthat are energized by a pause with the circuit closed to hold the type-'wheel in position while the printing takes place, substantially as setforth.

2. A printing-telegraph, in which the stepby-step movement of thetype-wheel is regulated by two electro-magncts, and the printing iseffected by a revolving mechanism, in combination with athird electro-magnet in the same metallic circuit that is rendered operative by a pausewith a closed circuit and the let-off mechanism for the impression,substantially as set forth.

3. A typewheel that is revolved by a spring or othor motor, and arecoil-escapement con nected with the armature of an electro-magnet, incombination with a unison-stop that arrests the rotation of thetype-wheel only when the said type-wheel arrives at the correct unisonposition, substantially as set forth.

4. A magnet made with prolonged poles to retard the accumulation ofmagnetic energy, in combination with the printing-lever and the armaturefor moving or controlling the movement thereof, substantially as setforth.

5. A magnet with a non-magnetic metallic tube surrounding the core, incombination with the printing mechanism, for the purposes and as setforth.

Signed by me this 1st day of April, A. D.

GEO. M. PHELPS.

\Vitnesses':

Gno. T. PiNoKNn CHAS. H. SMITH.

